Late Night Shifts and Nosy Zombies
by Eternal Night Owl
Summary: When Toris agreed to work the late shift on Halloween, the last thing he anticipated was meeting his future boyfriend. Written for Secret Spectres 2018


Toris sighed as he looked down at his phone. It was only 9:00, just an hour after his 4 hour shift had started, though it felt much longer. Most days he didn't mind his job; he worked at a cozy little coffee shop on the edge of town that never got too busy, but it was Halloween night, and he was looking forward to relaxing on the couch and watching his favorite horror movies.

He adjusted the fake ears on his head for his werewolf costume when one of his regular customers came in through the front door, along with a blond man in a vampire costume he had never met before.

"Hey Toris!" Feliciano greeted him brightly. "Oh, I like your costume! Are you supposed to be a dog?"

"Werewolf," he corrected. He eyed the costume Feliciano was wearing. "I like yours too. Are you supposed to be a zombie?" He was wearing green makeup on his face and hands, with multiple fake scars and blood added that no doubt took hours to put together, as well as a torn up t-shirt and pair of jeans that somehow still managed to look stylish.

Feliciano grinned. "Yeah! My friend Feliks here helped me out with the makeup. Doesn't it look cool?" As Feliciano mentioned Feliks's name, the small blond man blushed and shrank back behind his friend's shadow. Toris couldn't help but think it was kind of endearing.

"What will it be Feliciano? A cafe mocha and a muffin as usual?"

"Yep! Can I have a chocolate chip one?"

"Sure thing. How about you?" Toris turned his attention to Feliks.

As soon as Toris addressed the blond man directly, he froze. After a few moments of awkward silence, Toris cleared his throat and asked again.

"Would you like anything to drink? Maybe a hot chocolate or cappuccino?"

Feliks grew pale as a sheet, darting his eyes from one direction to another, before tears rolled down his cheeks and he rushed out the door.

"Feliks!" Feliciano called out to him, but he was already outside.

"Is he okay?" Toris asked, concerned. He had no idea what he could have said or done to upset the man so much, but he felt incredibly guilty nonetheless.

"He has social anxiety," Feliciano explained. "Though normally it's not this bad… I better go check on him to see that he's okay."

"Of course," Toris replied. As Feliciano left to go check on his friend, Toris started making his coffee and pulled out a chocolate chip muffin from the display area. By the time he was done, the two men were both still outside in what looked like a serious conversation. Feliks had his head in his hands, while Feliciano rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and appeared to be murmuring soothing words.

A few minutes later, Feliciano came back inside with his credit card in hand. "I'm so sorry Toris, Feliks is just, ah, going through a hard time right now.

Toris knew he was keeping something from him. Even though he rarely saw the man outside of work, he knew he was a terrible liar.

But still, it didn't matter. It's not like it was any of his business.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Toris shot him a concerned look, and handed Feliciano his coffee and food. "I hope things get better for him."

"Yeah…" Feliciano looked back to where his friend was outside. He leaned in close, before asking in a lowered voice, "Hey Toris, can I tell you a secret?"

"What?" Toris asked, curious.

After shooting another cautious look behind him, Feliciano whispered, "Feliks would kill me if he knew I told you this, but the reason he freaked out on you is because he thinks you're hot."

Toris's face immediately grew warm. "What?" he asked again in disbelief.

"He likes you! I mean, _really_ likes you. He made me swear not to tell, but I think you guys would be such a cute couple!" He practically beamed.

"Couple?! I just met the guy, I don't even know him!"

"Oh, he's really nice, you guys would hit it off right away! You should ask him out on a date, and see how things go."

Toris sighed. "I'm not going to ask someone out who I don't even know. And besides, he ran away in tears when I asked if he wanted coffee, how would I even talk to him?"

Feliciano thought for a moment, until realization hit him. "I know! You should slip him a free cookie and write your number on a napkin. He'd like that so much! Do you have any sugar cookies with sprinkles?"

"Woah, slow down!" Toris breathed. "You don't even know if I'm attracted to him."

"Well, are you?"

Toris blushed. He looked back at the small blond man, twisting his cape in his hands over and over again to keep his hands busy. A nervous habit, Toris knew, as he had often done the same with his apron at work.

For some reason he couldn't put his finger on, he found it adorable.

"Okay, fine" he caved. He grabbed the last sugar cookie - paying for it with his own money- and quickly scrawled out his phone number on a napkin before putting both in a to-go bag. Beside him, Feliciano cheered and went on and on about how cute they were going to look together. Toris tried his best to ignore him.

"Okay, here you go," Toris handed the Italian man the bag, refusing to look him in the eye.

Feliciano beamed. "He's gonna be so surprised! Thank you Toris, I know you won't regret this!"

"No problem," he responded, though he could already feel the anxiety build in his stomach from what he just did.

As he watched Feliciano bounce off to his friend, he started to wonder what exactly he got himself into.

After they left, Toris cleaned off the counters and anything else he could to keep busy. They never got many customers, especially at this hour, so he figured he'd have the rest of the night mostly free. After he was done cleaning he pulled out his laptop and started working on a math assignment that was due in a couple days. Just after he figured out the first problem, he heard the door slam open.

"Happy Halloween, what can I get for y-" he stopped when he realized it was Feliks again, with Feliciano right on his heels, begging him to stop. Feliks's bright red cape swirled behind him as he stormed up to he counter.

"Did you do this?" Feliks asked, pulling out the napkin with Toris's number on it.

He felt his face grow warm, as though he was caught breaking the rules and was about to be scolded. "I'm so sorry, if you aren't interested I completely understand, but from the way your friend was talking-"

"I knew it!" Feliks then turned his wrath onto his friend. "I told you Feli, stop trying to set me up on dates! I can get a boyfriend whenever I want to by myself."

"But you said you liked him, I was just trying to help!"

Feliks turned as red as his cape. "I told you that in confidence! And besides, you think I want him to take me out on a pity date?"

"I didn't just ask you out just because Feliciano told me to," Toris spoke up. The two arguing men turned to face him. He looked down at Feliks's hands.

"I noticed you fussing with your cape earlier, and well, I guess I thought it was kind of cute. I do the same thing with my clothes when I'm nervous. "

Feliks went silent for a few minutes, and Toris blushed so much his face felt like it was on fire. He was afraid the blond man would run out in tears again, but instead he burst out laughing.

"You asked me out because I have the same _fidgeting habits_ as you?"

"I mean, I know it's kind of stupid…" Toris answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're adorable."

Toris looked up.

"Pick me up at 8 tomorrow?"

"Really?" he asked. "You still want to go out?"

"Well, duh. Gosh, for someone so handsome you're kind of slow. How does going to see the new _Halloween_ movie sound?"

"Great!" Toris exclaimed, choosing to ignore the insult.

"Nice! I'll text you the directions, okay?"

"Yeah, sure!" Toris said, beaming.

As the two men left chattering away, Toris couldn't help but wonder what just happened. And yet, he could safely say he never had such a memorable Halloween.


End file.
